Dining Snippets: Alter Ego x Little Owl x Single Origin
ALTER EGO
CHICKEN PANDAN ON PAELLA (P460)
Housed in the old Azucar Boulangerie, Alter Ego has grown to be its edgier and more playful reincarnation. Although Alter Ego still serves some desserts that Azucar was known for, its quirky menu of East-meets-West dishes would definitely be the one to capture everyone’s attention. Its Chicken Pandan on Paella is not only visually stunning but somehow, it has also managed to achieve chicken pandan perfection (juicy chicken with killer marinade) that most local Thai restaurants simply dream of. That alone was a feat that deserves proper acknowledgement! However, Alter Ego didn’t stop there, they opted to serve this classic Thai favorite on wet Chorizo Paella. I personally prefer dry paellas but the ‘extra moisture’ this gave the dish pairs well with the chicken. Don’t dare miss out on the red curry aioli and pickled green mangoes the dish comes with as they manage to add spectacle to an already spectacular dish.
FRENCH ONION SOUP GYOZA (P190)
Just seeing the words French Onion Soup and Gyoza together was enough to pique my curiosity about this dish. The fried potstickers were served on a heavenly bed of melted mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Once on the table, the server pours the signature caramelized onion broth of the French Onion Soup on to the gyozas. The whole process actually smelled really good that one can’t help but feel ecstatic about it. Until now, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around this dish; but somehow it oddly works. Perhaps it’s because they opted to use a filling which tasted similar to a burger patty; thus, it made more sense as I felt like I was eating a deconstructed burger since you’ve already have some cheese and caramelized onions to go with it.
TWICE COOKED PORK BELLY (P340)
I was really surprised at how huge the serving sizes of Alter Ego dishes were. Priced as if serving for one, all their dishes are actually ideal for sharing. The Twice Cooked Pork Belly featured a long row of sous-vide then grilled tasty pork belly slices on a bed of buttered rice. These were then garnished with some deliciously tangy and hearty ratatouille. The pork belly slices were reminiscent of the Filipino pork liempo as it didn’t really deviate from its standard salty and sour marinade. On its own, it was already a good rendition of this comfort food classic; but pairing it with the ratatouille makes you forget about the need to pair the pork belly with some good old toyomansi.
Alter Ego
41 First St. cor Dona Hemady St., QC
Date of Visit: March 3, 2018 with Lily Chua
LITTLE OWL
Little Owl is actually just less than ten minutes’ drive from my house; which was why I wasn’t really in a rush to try It out. My first visit came about because my sister bought the restaurant’s discount coupons from Deal Grocer and needed more tummies to meet the minimum spending requirement.
BOURBON GLAZED PORK BELLY (P330)
Little Owl is actually more known for its coffee and all-day breakfast options. However, as we dropped by during its dinner service, we opted for their non-breakfast themed dishes such as the Bourbon Glazed Pork Belly. The dish came with really well-marinated and perfectly seasoned meat which was topped off with a pleasantly crunchy skin. The belly was served on a bed of pumpkin puree; giving a sweet balance to its savory meatiness. Marrying the meat with the equally tasty garlic rice was a match made in heaven. I just wished that they took more time in making the meat more tender.
FISH AND CHIPS (P280)
I was a bit skeptical when the Fish and Chips was served to us. The fish looked a bit burnt; so I was expecting it to have a dreadful charred aftertaste. To my surprise, the fish was cooked just right. The meat was tender and juicy; and came in a nice crisp batter. Perhaps the oil they used was at fault for giving the fish a darker-than-usual hue. We ate this together with their Smoked Salmon pasta (P290) which came in a zesty lemon cream sauce spiked with vodka.
CHICKEN N’WAFFLE (P290)
I didn’t really pay close attention to the menu’s description of its Chicken N’ Waffle dish. I was expecting it to be your classic fried chicken served with waffles; so I was really in shock when I saw chicken waffle sandwiches served in front of us. Regardless of how it was served though, its waffles and its fried chicken were undeniable showstoppers. Each delivered on crunch and flavor; and the variety of textures you get in each bite was simply unbelievable. Its greens were sneakily smeared with some Sriracha for that delicious extra zing of flavor!
Little Owl
65 Broadway Avenue, New Manila, QC
Date of Visit: February 19, 2018 with Lily Chua, Jem Chua and Kino Mendoza
SINGLE ORIGIN
Two years have passed since my last visit to Single Origin so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they opted to expand their menu selection beyond their all-day breakfast favorites by adding a number of pastas and sandwiches into the mix. I recall falling in love with their crisp waffles and proclaiming that they’re the next best thing to Breakfast at Antonio’s. These were must-haves in my last few visits; however, I decided to try something new this time.
SHRIMP PO BOY (P280)
I don’t usually go for burgers or sandwiches but as I had to endure almost an hour’s wait to get a booking via Grab to meet up with my friends; it was a night which called for such occasion. I opted for their Shrimp Po Boy and was greeted with deep-fried golden shrimps beautifully glazed with honey mayonnaise. There were enough shrimps for two sandwiches, but I definitely don’t mind devouring the whole thing by myself. It was paired with a side salad and a huge handful of their truffle potato chips. Their chips were delicious; but I felt like lightly salted chips would have been better sides to the already flavor-packed Shrimp Po Boy. Nonetheless, it was a delight to eat!
Single Origin
GF Greenbelt 3, Esperanza St., Ayala Center, Makati City
Date of Visit: February 9, 2018 with Den Avis, Kimmy de Guzman, Gaby delos Santos, Mela Jalbuena, Ley Lenihan, Gwen Oliva and Tikay Yu
